THE ABDOMEN 



ing milch as they would on a rainiy day. Take the hen in your hands, watch 

 the movements of the muscles at the vent and you will see that she is trying 

 to eject an egg. Pass your little finger, well oiled, into the passage, and you 

 will feel the muscular movements and perhaps run the finger tip against the 

 egg itself. 



Long continued cases of egg-bound birds are seldom helped by any 

 treatment. The over-fat condition has existed too long to be helped by any 

 change in diet. 



Treatment 



Hold the fowl with her vent in the steam arising from a dish of boil- 

 ing water. If this does not sufficiently relax the parts to effect the deliv- 

 ery of the egg, carefully inject a tablespoonful of olive oil, and give the fowl 

 half a teaspoonful of linseed oil or sweet oil every two hours. 



The fowl should be fed on soft, unstimulating food, and if over-fat 

 the food should be reduced in quantity. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE EGG PASSAGE 



Inflammation of the egg passage may occur in connection with an 

 egg-bound condition or may be due to the over-use of stimulating condi- 

 ments and medicines. Some of the "egg-foods" for sale, warranted to 

 increase egg production, are decidedly too irritating for continued use, and 

 are not without their dangers at any time. 



Inflammation of the egg passage is a serious disease. The effect of 

 it is at once seen in the bird's movements and general appearance. There 

 is almost a constant desire to strain, as if an egg was in the end of the duct. 

 This straining is sometimes so violent that a blood vessel is broken, causing 

 death at once. As the bird stands, or moves about, you will notice that 

 the wings are dropped a little as though there was a relaxation of the mus- 

 cles. The feathers are ruffled and stand out from the body more than nor- 

 mal. The vent of the bird is hot, red and in motion. In a day or two the 

 hen becomes quiet, as a result of exhaustion, gives up some of the straining, 

 and shows an increasing paleness in comb and wattles. The temperature 

 drops day by day, till at last the bird dies of the widespread inflammation. 



The disease is a good illustration of the need of watching closely our 

 fowls and remedying the trouble in the very beginning. So many of these 

 cases are preceded by a retained egg that might be removed, that we should 

 learn to attack the disease at the outset. This disease is incurable unless 

 the cause can be removed. Back of some of the cases is an over-fat condi- 

 tion. The eggs are large, the passage is fatty and weak, an egg is retained 

 and inflammation follows. These cases are likely to be hens fed with pul- 

 lets. They are less active, have good appetites, and put on fat on the same 

 ration that makes the pullets fine layers. Some of these cases can be avoid- 

 ed by cooping hens and pullets separately, and feeding the old fowls a larger 

 proportion of clover hay. 



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